steel tanks clipped on Xdeep Stealth

[NYCrecdiver]

I am still getting used to sidemount using LP85s and an xdeep Stealth Tec BCD. I am mainly doing pool sessions on my own now to work on config tweaks, trim, kicks, etc.
Having a question about clipping the cylinders off on the square drop rings at the back of the xdeep BCD.
Do you keep the square rings that far back the way they came mounted on the BCD or did you move them a bit more towards the front of the waste band?
How do you position the cylinder clips in reference to the valve stem? I find that when I place them following a straight line down from the valve stem, the inflator hoses coming out of the 5th port of the first stages dig inside my sides. It seems that to reduce this digging in my side, I have 2 options: a) move the square drop rings further to the front of my waste band (but that will probably bring my tanks too low below my profile). b) rotate the jubilee so that my clips are no longer directly underneath the valve stem but more somewhere between the valve stem and the DIN port.

Hoping to get some of your thoughts, especially from folks with the same config.
Thanks!

 

[Thrutch]

I dive steels with my Stealth almost exclusively. Typically HP100s, but also LP85s and LP50s. Personally, I don't use the drop D's for clipping the primary tanks at all (stages and deco/O2 bottles, I do). I have two fixed D rings, one right next to each drop D on my waist, that I start the dive on, and then I move the tanks to sliding D's when the tails get floaty. It took some trial and error to find the right position and size of D ring, but I love it now. Moving the drop D's seems like it would make the butt pouch sit weird, but it may work just fine for you. As they say, if you ask ten sidemount divers the best way to do something, you'll get eleven answers.

 

[rick00001967]

never used the newer xdeep versions so it may be different, but on my old stealth i do not believe people used the square rear clip off points for heavy steel tanks. there was a butt plate avail to use for that.

 

[Watthem]

Typically your tanks should be clipped onto a waist d-ring rather than the square butt d-rings. Are you attaching the upper part of the tank via a bungee or bolt snap?

 

[NYCrecdiver]

Typically your tanks should be clipped onto a waist d-ring rather than the square butt d-rings. Are you attaching the upper part of the tank via a bungee or bolt snap?

I attach the valves via bungee loops. Bottoms clip off the square butt D-rings. The tanks trim well. At around 600 psi I move them to a fixed D-ring when their bottoms become floaty. The only problem I have is that the inflator hoses coming out of the 5th port stab in my sides... It's a bit distracting.

 

[NYCrecdiver]

never used the newer xdeep versions so it may be different, but on my old stealth i do not believe people used the square rear clip off points for heavy steel tanks. there was a butt plate avail to use for that.

I'd like to avoid using a butt plate so I can attach a but pouch there instead.

 

[Watthem]

I attach the valves via bungee loops. Bottoms clip off the square butt D-rings. The tanks trim well. At around 600 psi I move them to a fixed D-ring when their bottoms become floaty. The only problem I have is that the inflator hoses coming out of the 5th port stab in my sides... It's a bit distracting.

I'd recommend using either a fixed d-ring next to the square butt mounts, or a sliding d-ring for the lower bolt snap. It'll allow the tank to rotate properly as I've found the square mounts and the butt plate to be too far back for comfortable tank orientation. I personally use the newest iteration of sliding rings from Sump UK

 

[Jens Bölte]

Hello

I use sliding d-rings and bungee loops for steel tanks (around 13 kg each). I use the square drop rings for stage tanks only and the pouch.

Best wishes Jens

 

[NYCrecdiver]

Thanks for replies everyone. Ordered a set of sliding hardware from piranha. Looks similar design than the ones from sump UK.

 

[grantmac]

Heavy steels go on the square drops.
Neutral ones like those LP85s go on sliders.

I have SumpUK and Piranha, no comparison. The SumpUK work perfectly and the others do not.